Method and apparatus for stabilizing vehicular jack bases

ABSTRACT

A method for locating an RV in the dark, including extending at least one stabilizing jacks from an RV toward soft ground, engaging at least one phosphorescent jack pad between the at least one jack and the ground, charging the at least one phosphorescent jack pad with daylight, and locating the RV in the dark from the glow of the at least one phosphorescent jack pad.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of, and claimspriority to, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/571,653,filed on Sep. 16, 2019.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This specification relates generally to the field of mechanicalengineering and, more specifically, to base pads for recreationalvehicle stabilizing jacks that leave animal footprints after use.

BACKGROUND

Recreational vehicles (RVs) are typically motor homes or trailers thatfeature living quarters affording temporary or permanent accommodationto occupants. RVs encompass motorhomes, campervans, caravans (includingtravel trailers and camper trailers), fifth-wheel trailers, popupcampers and truck campers. When an RV is parked for an extended periodof time, such as at a camp site or RV park, stabilizing jacks aretypically extended from the RV to help level the RV interior as well asprevent undesired movement or settling of the RV. Typically, jack padsare placed at the jack/ground interface to prevent the jacks fromsinking into soft ground, which could make the jacks difficult to laterretract as well as slowly deviating the RV interior from level.

Currently, jack pads are typically brightly colored (usually yellow)members made of honeycombed hard plastic. These jack pads are inherentlyunattractive eyesores when in use and leave equally unattractivecheckered patterns in the ground after the RV has retracted its jacksand moved on. Thus, there is a need for more efficient systems forshipping and storing goods. The present novel technology addresses theseneeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a top perspective view of a first embodiment of thepresent novel technology.

FIG. 2 depicts a bottom perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts a front end view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 depicts a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 depicts a first side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 depicts a second, reverse side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 depicts a rear end view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 depicts a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 depicts a perspective view of a second embodiment of the presentnovel technology.

FIG. 10 depicts a perspective view of a third embodiment of the presentnovel technology.

FIG. 11 depicts a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the presentnovel technology.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart depicting the method of making animal tracksouvenirs.

FIG. 13 depicts a perspective view of fifth embodiment of the presentnovel technology.

FIG. 14 depicts a second perspective view of the fifth embodiment of thepresent novel technology.

FIG. 15 depicts a sixth embodiment of the present novel technology.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicatelike elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the present methods, implementations, and systems are disclosedand described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limitedto specific synthetic methods, specific components, implementation, orto particular compositions, and as such may, of course, vary. It is alsoto be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescribing particular implementations only and is not intended to belimiting.

As used in the specification and the claims, the singular forms “a,”“an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearlydictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed in ways including from“about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particularvalue. When such a range is expressed, another implementation mayinclude from the one particular value and/or to the other particularvalue. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, forexample by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that theparticular value forms another implementation. It will be furtherunderstood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant bothin relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the otherendpoint.

“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described eventor circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includesinstances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where itdoes not. Similarly, “typical” or “typically” means that thesubsequently described event or circumstance often, though may notalways, occur and that the description includes instances where saidevent or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

When a recreational vehicle (RV) is parked, whether for the day or forthe season, it is desirable for the RV to be maintained as level aspossible. In addition to preventing miscellaneous items from rollingaround and or sliding, a level surface helps to keep appliances such asthe absorption refrigerator working properly. Once the RV has been madelevel, it is advantageous to deploy stabilizing jacks to keep the RVlevel, so as to optimize the efficiency of the appliances, which helpsto keep operating costs low as well as limiting undue system wear.

While it is preferred to find a resting spot that is already flat andeven, such a lucky find is not always possible. When parked on uneventerrain, RV stabilizing jacks may be deployed to compensate for terraininequity to both level the vehicle and also maintain the level position,steading the RV.

Stabilizing jacks work more effectively when the surface area of thedistal end of the jack is increased via the attachment of a jack footpads. In addition to preventing the jack from sinking into soft groundand thus losing level over time as well as making the retraction of thejack leg difficult, the foot pad increases the effective surface area ofthe jack such that ground contact is more even and the jacks are lessprone to sliding.

Most foot pads or jack pads are made of a rigid, honeycombed plastic andhave a geometric shape, usually square, circular, or hexagonal. The mostpopular color of these jack pads is bright yellow. While functional,such jack pads are eyesores and leave unnatural crosshatched prints inthe ground when the RV moves on.

FIGS. 1-15 depict various perspectives and embodiments of a jack pad100, typically having a palm portion 105 and a digit portion 110, thedigit portion 110 including a plurality of elongated fingers 115connected to and extending from the palm portion 105.

The palm portion 105 is a generally flat plate having a bottom side 120and an oppositely disposed top side 125. The top side 125 includes ajack-engaging assembly 130 for engaging a standard circular profile jackhead (typically about 10 to about 15 cm. in diameter), a standard squareprofile jack head (side length typically about 15 cm.), and/or astandard elongated rectangular profile jack head (about 15 cm. by about23 cm.). Jack engaging assembly 130 includes four spaced ninety-degreeangled raised corner members 135 about 0.5 to 1.5 cm. tall andpositioned to define the corners of a square of side length of about 17cm. o.d. (about 16 cm. i.d.). Each corner piece 135 includes twoelongated side portions 137 that intersect at a ninety-degree angle,with each side portion 137 extending about 2.5 cm., leaving open sides139 of length about 12 cm. between any two corner members 135. A squarejack foot will snugly engage the corners, while a circular jack footlikewise may engage the ends of each elongated side portion 137, and arectangular foot may be positioned to extend through two opposing opensides 139 to be engaged by the side members 137. Pads 100 are typicallyrepeatedly removably connected to jacks, but may likewise be permanentlyaffixed thereto as OEM or aftermarket fixtures.

The top side 125 may also include a plurality of raised (or concave)contour features 140 positioned at the base of each finger 115 and/or atthe heal of the palm disposed opposite the digit portion 110.

Likewise, the bottom face 120 includes a plurality of contour features145 for stamping a three-dimensional contoured footprint into soft soilunder the weight of the vehicle as transmitted through the stabilizingjacks and over the time the vehicle is parked and stabilized. Typically,the bottom side 120 and top side 125 are contoured to be mirror imagesof one another, with indentions 151 in the bottom side 120 to snugly orlockingly receive raised corner pieces 135 or at least portions of thewall members 137, such that the pads 100 may nest together andstackingly engage one another for ease of storage. Typically, the footpad 100 is shaped and contoured to both stabilize the weightdistribution of the RV among the plurality of jacks as well as to leavean impression evocative of an animal (real, extinct, or imaginary)footprint or track, such as a bear (see FIGS. 1-8), a wolf (see FIG. 9),a dinosaur (see FIG. 10), a sasquatch (see FIG. 11), a very large bird,or the like.

In some implementations, jack pads 100 are used as part of a method 200for using an RV to make animal-like tracks. In one implementation, fauxanimal tracks are made by first extending 205 at least one stabilizingjack from an RV toward soft ground and engaging 210 at least one animalpaw shaped jack pad between the at least one jack and the ground. Next,pressing 210 the at least one jack pad into the ground yields at leastone animal track print pressed into the ground. Typically, the at leastone jack is retracted 215 and the at least one jack pad is retrieved 220to reveal 225 at least one imprinted animal-like track.

FIGS. 13 and 14 depict a fifth embodiment of the present noveltechnology, a jack pad 300, typically having a palm portion 305 and adigit portion 310, the digit portion 310 including a plurality ofelongated fingers 315 connected to and extending from the palm portion305 and made of a phosphorescent or ‘glow-in-the-dark’ structuralmaterial, typically a phosphorescent treated plastic material similar tothose described above. Typically, the jack pad 300 will absorb ambientlight during the day (charging the jack pad 300) and glow for severalhours after sunset, allowing campers to more easily locate and identifytheir RV after dark, especially when parked in locations away from citylight pollution and in other particularly dark locations.

The jack pad 300 typically include a phosphorescent additive atconcentrations between two and ten weight percent, more typicallybetween four and eight weight percent, and more typically at about sixweight percent.

The jack pad 300 may include relatively thick portions 340 andrelatively thin portions 345 which will vary the intensity and durationof the light output, with thicker portions glowing brighter and longer.Selective variation of thickness may be employed for artistic and/orpractical advantage. Various dyes or colorants may also be added to thecomposition to vary the color and duration of the glow.

FIG. 15 depict sixth embodiment phosphorescent jack pad 300, similar tothe fifth embodiment described immediately above, except that thephosphorescent jack pad 300 has a non-animal print shape, such as thatof a star, a half moon, or any convenient shape.

Any of the above embodiments may be sized larger to accommodate anextra-large RV, class-A RV's, or the like, or smaller to accommodate RVstairs or a motorcycle or like vehicle.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details,these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of anyinventions or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions offeatures specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions.Certain features that are described in this specification in the contextof separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in asingle embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described inthe context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multipleembodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination may in some instances be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Thus, particular embodiments of the subject matter have been described.Nigh-infinite other embodiments are within the scope of the followingclaims. In some instances, the actions recited in the claims may beperformed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. Inaddition, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do notnecessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, toachieve desirable results.

What is claimed is:
 1. A reusable vehicular phosphorescent jack padsystem, comprising: a plurality of phosphorescent jack pads, eachrespective pad further comprising: a phosphorescent top face; anoppositely disposed bottom face; a jack-engaging assembly operationallyconnected to the phosphorescent top face; a palm portion; and a toeportion extending from the palm portion; wherein each respective jackpad is shaped like an animal paw; wherein each respective bottom face iscontoured to leave a paw print in soft ground; and wherein eachrespective top face is contoured to stackingly engage a respectivebottom face.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the toe portion defines aplurality of fingers extending from the palm portion.
 3. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the jack-engaging assembly further comprises fourraised corner members disposed on the top face and on the palm portionand spaced to define a square; wherein each side of the square is about17 cm. long; wherein each side of the square includes a distance ofabout 12 cm. between two respective corner members.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the respective phosphorescent jack pads are shaped likebear paws.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the respectivephosphorescent jack pads are shaped like dog paws.
 6. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the respective phosphorescent jack pads are shaped likesasquatch feet.
 7. A phosphorescent pad system for engaging vehicularstabilizers, comprising: a plurality of phosphorescent jack pads, eachrespective pad further comprising: a phosphorescent top face; anoppositely disposed bottom face; and a jack-engaging assemblyoperationally connected to the phosphorescent top face; wherein eachrespective top face is contoured to stackingly engage a respectivebottom face.
 8. The phosphorescent pad system of claim 7 wherein thejack-engaging assembly further comprises four raised corner membersdisposed on the top face and on the palm portion and spaced to define asquare; wherein each side of the square is about 17 cm. long; whereineach side of the square includes a distance of about 12 cm. between tworespective corner members.
 9. The phosphorescent pad system of claim 7and further comprising: a palm portion; and a toe portion extending fromthe palm portion; wherein each respective jack pad is shaped like ananimal paw; and wherein each respective bottom face is contoured toleave a paw print in soft ground.
 10. The phosphorescent pad system ofclaim 7, wherein the respective phosphorescent jack pads are shaped likebear paws.
 11. The phosphorescent pad system of claim 7, wherein therespective phosphorescent jack pads are shaped like dog paws.